The present application is directed to textured surfaces and methods for forming textured surfaces.
Decorative laminates having textured surfaces are employed in various applications, such as, for example, for providing ornamentation of the interior panels of aircrafts. The textured surface not only enhances the appearance of the laminate, but may also provide other benefits, such as the ability to hide scuff marks. In the case of aircraft manufacturing, airlines may wish to include raised logos or other identifying marks as part of the texture of a laminate for branding purposes. Thus, having a wide variety of textures from which to choose and/or the ability to customize textured surfaces can be desirable.
In the past, texturing of decorative laminates has been achieved using various processes which employ texturing mediums, such as steel rolls or plates, to provide texture. The steel rolls and steel plates used in these processes can be expensive to manufacture, and may require a long lead-time of several months to fabricate. For these reasons, offering a large variety of textures, or customization of textures for a particular customer may not be feasible.
In addition, such texturing processes often employ embossing resins in the laminates in order to achieve the desired texture. The embossing resins increase the amount of material used to fabricate the laminate, which can increase the heat release rating of the laminate. In some applications, such as the manufacture of certain aircraft, it may be desirable to employ less material in order to reduce the heat release rating of the laminate.